Gastric Sleeve Complications, Risks

Gastric Sleeve is a commonly selected weight loss surgery in the United States. The surgery is a major decision that should be considered carefully before deciding. One of the major factors in making the decision to go through with such a gastric sleeve surgery is the complications and risks involved. Like all surgeries, there are risks to be considered.

Before you decide to have gastric sleeve surgery, the physician will discuss all of the options, explain the complications and risks involved and assess your current health conditions. The professional will need to have a full medical history in order to assess the exact risks involved for you with this type of surgery. In many cases, it can be advantageous to have the input of your primary care physician on the topic as he or she will know your medical history and potential complications.

Ultimately the gastric sleeve surgical procedure is irreversible as it creates a small pouch for food to go into. Nearly 70% of the stomach itself is removed completely from the body. This new sleeve keeps portion sizes down and helps patients to lose weight. It’s important that patients learn how much food their new stomach can handle and to always stop eating when they are full. Excessive eating over time can lead to a stretch out sleeve.

Risks of Gastric Sleeve (VSG) Surgery

During and after gastric sleeve surgery there are several risks that you will want to be aware of including:

Infection

Excessive bleeding

Anesthesia reaction

Lung and breathing difficulty

Gastrointestinal system leakage

Blood clots

In rare cases, death.

While these risks are associated with post-operative gastric sleeve surgery, there are also several long-term risks and complications that should be considered carefully. Most patients take the surgery very well, however, in some cases there are some problems later in life that are related to the surgery. These complications might include:

Onset of dumping syndrome with associated diarrhea, vomiting or nausea

Hernias

Gallstones

Bowel obstruction

Low blood sugar also referred to as hypoglycemia

Stomach perforation

Malnutrition

Ulcers

Nausea (one of the most common side effects of surgery)

Vomiting

In rare cases, death related to the complications

Symptoms such as nausea are caused by attempting to eat too much food after your gastric sleeve surgery. Your stomach has been dramatically reduced, so it will be easy to reach the capacity of your stomach with very little food. Nausea can also be caused by not chewing food well enough. Never drink while eating for the first 6 weeks following surgery. To avoid nausea, eat slowly, take small bites and chew food completely.

Dumping syndrome is a group of symptoms that may develop because of a surgery that removes all or part of a stomach. Also known as rapid gastric emptying, it happens when the undigested content of the stomach moves too quickly through the bowel. Some symptoms include nausea, cramps, and diarrhea. This can occur in gastric sleeve patients that eat too much or too fast following their surgery. To prevent dumping syndrome symptoms, adjust the diet so that light foods that are easy to digest are enjoyed most often.

Food Complications

Many patients find that there are some complications related to the types of foods that they can eat after gastric sleeve surgery. Since the gastric sleeve can reduce the production of the hormone ghrelin, you may not feel hungry as often as you did before. Food that is high in carbohydrates may cause diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea because the sleeve pushes the food quickly to the small intestine and this causes an immediate increase in the hormone GLP1, sending the signal to the brain that the stomach is full. Managing a proper diet is essential.

Non-Physical Complications and Risks

It is highly likely that the patient participating in a gastric sleeve surgery will lose substantial amounts of weight. This dramatic weight loss can often cause emotional and social difficulty for those individuals. A dramatic weight loss can provide some individuals with a type of identity crisis. These changes can be challenging to manage and may require assistance from counseling or through others that have had the same circumstances play out in their own lives.

The body will also change dramatically for many patients that find severe weight loss. The body might become soft, skin loose and body seem flabby. This can be complicated for the individual and may require advice from a cosmetic surgeon. There are several procedures such as a bra-line back lift, arm lift, and corset trunkplasty that can provide patients with relief from the loose skin that is left behind.

Gastric Sleeve Statistics, Long-term Complications, Risks

Recent studies report that the four most common complications following gastric sleeve are GERD, stenosis, leaks, and bleeding. 1.2% of patients have bleeding, 2.2% of patients experience leaks from their sutures, 1 out of 5 patients develop GERD and .06% of patients have stenosis. These are all considered minor complications and all are easy to treat. Another study showed that the total complication rate for gastric sleeve is about 3.2%, which included these minor complications as well as dehydration, nausea, vomiting, and reflux. A .019% mortality rate stands for gastric sleeve surgery.

Comparing These Complications to Lap Band Procedure

The main comparison in complications of different weight loss surgeries is between the gastric sleeve procedure and lap band surgery. With lap band surgery, the stomach is not permanently altered like it is during gastric sleeve surgery. During this surgery, an adjustable ring is placed around part of the stomach which creates a small pocket where food goes. It has a similar effect as gastric sleeve, but the band can be increased or decreased depending on the patient’s needs and success with their weight loss. Many patients have to go in for adjustments over time. There are however some differences between these two procedures. One major difference is that after a gastric sleeve surgery, there is usually a longer recovery time due to the discomfort and swelling. Unfortunately, there is also a greater risk of blood clots and gallstones with gastric sleeve surgery. These differences are mainly due to the fact that gastric sleeve is considered a major surgery, while lap band surgery is less invasive.

Tips for Preventing Complications During Your Gastric Sleeve Surgery

It’s important to know how to reduce your risk of complications. This includes researching the surgeon you choose, be as detailed as possible with your medical history, discuss all these possible complications and risks beforehand and follow all of the doctor’s orders after your gastric sleeve surgery.